


Endpoint

by Fjeril



Series: Fjeril Fictober 2018 [31]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Death, M/M, Other Knights mentionned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 09:16:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16472783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fjeril/pseuds/Fjeril
Summary: Now that the traitor is back, it's time for Ritsu to fight him.





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**Author's Note:**

> This is a follow-up to Fictober day 16 (The Hidden Side of the Moon), and it also is the last prompt of the month! Starting tomorrow I'm starting NaNoWriMo while focusing on three works that are already started so I won't be around there as much. Anyway:  
> Fictober day 31: "I've waited so long for this."  
> Enjoy!

Now that he was sure Mao was around, Ritsu had given up on resting at all. Instead, he had everyone patrol around the city, and tell him about the traitor's moves. Of course, he patrolled too; too often, according to his guild members. He who loved to sleep had become restless. He'd rest only when he'd have chased Mao once and for all. Whatever it meant, in the end. Ritsu didn't care anymore, when he patrolled the city during the night and finally felt the presence he had been looking for.

It also, and mostly, meant Mao was _letting_ him feel his presence. Somehow, the dark haired man hoped it meant they'd get to have some private time together, to actually take the time to clear everything between them before their last fight. But that was impossible, he knew it. The time for that had already passed. Now, only the time to confront each other was left. It was a very short one, but he was ready for that, now.

"So," the red haired one called, "are you going to keep looking at the ground or will you do something? I thought you had planned on killing me but it rather looks like you want to end your own life. That'd be a real disappointment, you know?"

Ritsu sighed, and finally turned towards his target. Mao was waiting for him, arms crossed, looking as sure of himself as the last time - as gorgeous, too, but Ritsu wouldn't admit that aloud, or it would mean he had already lost. Thus, he rose his head, a lazy smile on his lips. From his sleeves appeared two katars he was ready to use, while the other one started to smile, too. Of course, the red-eyed one wouldn't say a word about the pain that appeared in it. Instead, he started to attack his target, determined not to let him leave the city alive. As expected, Mao dodged him easily.

That was the beginning of the end - somehow, Ritsu wished he had had the time to say his goodbyes, just in case.

"I've waited so long for this."

Mao seemed to enjoy himself way too much with his fight, running from roof to roof, blocking Ritsu's attacks and striking back. The advantage went from one to the other, changing every so often. In the darkness of the night, they were trying to stay as silent as possible despite their will to kill the other. Tonight was a fight to death, no matter how much it hurt. It was time to settle the conflict once and for all.

When the silver blade brushed his cheek, Ritsu clenched his teeth to contain the pain. His cheek was burning, but he had to ignore it as much as he could. Mao had an advantage, but he clearly couldn't let the man he had loved have all the advantages. Thus, he smiled, and disappeared. If the other one had a silver blade, he could hide in the shadows. It would take some time for Mao to see him.

They played hide and seek through the entire city, sometimes crossing paths with the other members of the guild. They were trained to see as clearly as Ritsu in the dark, and even though they didn't reach Mao's level anymore, they weren't the easiest opponents to fight either; which let him earn some time to prepare his trap. If his speed and agility weren't enough to win against such an opponent, then he'd use another advantage of his: his knowledge of the city and its desolated and dangerous areas.

Of course, the other one had lived there for long, too; but the city had changed a lot since his banishment. Enough to give some time to Ritsu.

...Unless Mao had used the time he had spent as nothing but a rumor to learn about the surroundings again, and the situation in the ruins. As soon as he had reached the entrance, Ritsu felt his energy start and leave him. He had to leave as soon as possible, but when he managed finding the strength to do so, the one he was fighting appeared just in front of him, a trace of blood on his nose, a victorious smile on his lips.

The blood was there in purpose, Ritsu knew it. The aim was to turn him crazy, both because it meant one of his guild members had received a strong blow, and because Mao thought he wouldn't be able to resist it; blood was the only way he could recover the energy that was taken away from him. He cursed himself for telling the traitor about his weaknesses, a long time ago.

He tried to breathe as calmly as possible, and to stop the flow of his energy. Then, he walked, slowly, towards the opponent.

"Maa," he called, a malicious smile on his lips, "Is this really it? Are you really enough of a coward to use such techniques on me?"

He was probably looking paler and paler, considering the trap placed in the ruins was sucking his vital energy.

"You can't deny they're working, Ri. Soon, you'll be nothing more than ashes and a few memories."

He gulped, trying to read what was going on in Mao's mind. His eyes were sending too many contradictory messages at the same time; maybe it was done on purpose, or maybe he was calling for help, Ritsu wouldn't know, not when his head hurt so much, not when he had to focus just to stay on his legs.

"Hah, you're lucky those are working, then. What if I had lied to you? What would you have done?"

The satisfactory smile grew as much as the whole this all had pierced in his heart.

"Well, that's why I had to test it on your brother, of course. The poor man didn't even manage to stay conscious as long as you. Oh, but I guess you hadn't noticed his disparition, since you hate him so much."

The guild master's eyes widened. Of course, the whole story about his hatred for his brother was an exageration, and they actually had some contact; only for the business, they said. But Mao wasn't wrong: Ritsu had been so focused on chasing the traitor that he had forgotten to check on his own family. _Breathe, Ritsu. Try not to show emotions._

"Hah, of course," he smiled, "Trying to kill us all wasn't enough. You had to go as far as hunting vampires, right?"

"Don't get me wrong, Ritsu," the hunter said, hiding his real intentions behind an impassible mask, "My mission has always been to eliminate you. Do you have any idea how hard it is to try and kill someone you're so close to? Even when I put everything in place for other people to kill you in my place, you either managed to stop them first, or I couldn't help saving you at the last moment. This was _so annoying_ , like Sena would say."

Ritsu couldn't move anymore when he felt something strange in his chest. The cold, silver blade was going through his body, with much difficulty; it didn't stop it from burning him from the inside. Ritsu couldn't help but shout as loud as he could - he wouldn't make it alive, for sure, but he could indicate his position to his guild.

When the pain was too much and he couldn't stand anymore, Ritsu let himself fall on the ground, his gaze not leaving Mao's.

"So," he managed to say, "All the things you said, all your promises and declarations, these were all lies, weren't they?"

This time, the traitor couldn't seem to find the strength to lie anymore. In his eyes were regrets and excuses.

"They weren't, Ri. But I'll fall in love again. While I only have one family."

Ritsu huffed, then laughed. He couldn't think anymore, but what Mao had said sounded hilarious. Enough for him to laugh until his body couldn't react anymore, his gaze anchored to his assassin's.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading ♡ Doing this Fictober was a real adventure and I don't regret a single word that came out of it! Of course many works were rushed or not too-well thought but please keep in mind I had to plan AND write one to three works in a day. Each of those 31 works took me one to three hours to write. I've tried to navigate through various styles and genre but ended up spending a lot on parallel worlds and other fantasy AUs, oops... Anyway, that was a good taste of "me"!
> 
> See you in December!


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